Watermelon

Watermelon is the most iconic of summer fruits and yet it’s technically a vegetable, related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. Its cold, crisp, sweet flesh is incredibly refreshing and is the perfect way to cool down on a warm summer’s day.

Watermelon has the highest water content of any fruit or vegetable and was used by early explorers as a way of hydrating.

Nutrition notes

Watermelon is very low in calories, providing just 30 calories per 100g. Plus it’s a good source of the pigment lycopene, the same cancer-preventing anti-oxidant found in tomatoes. Watermelon also contains vitamin C and fibre.

Buying

Look for a heavy fruit with a slightly dull sheen. Watermelons are often sold halved or quartered, so if you’re buying a cut melon look for firm, brightly-coloured flesh.

Storing

It’s best to keep watermelon in the fridge or in the coolest place that you can find. Cut fruit should either be covered in plastic cling wrap or stored in a covered plastic container and eaten within two to three days.

Preparing

Even though you don’t eat the skin you should wash watermelon under running water before cutting it up, as the knife can transmit germs from the surface into the flesh.

Enjoying

• Add summer style to your breakfast. Layer cubes of watermelon with toasted muesli and top with low-fat vanilla yoghurt and berries. 
• Jazz up summer drinks. Whizz watermelon in a blender (you don’t need to add extra water or juice) then freeze in ice cube trays. Drop the frozen cubes into sparkling and still summer drinks.
• Throw together a fresh and zingy summer salsa. Combine two cups of cubed watermelon with half a cup of chopped red onion, a handful of chopped fresh mint, some olive oil, the juice of a fresh lemon, some chopped red chillies and a little salt and pepper. Allow to sit for around half an hour for the flavours to fuse then serve with barbecued fish, shellfish or chicken, or enjoy as a side salad or add low-fat feta for a main course salad. Serves 4.
• Make a tasty coriander and ginger prawn and watermelon combo. Mix together 2 cups of cubed watermelon, 1 cup of cubed fresh pineapple, half a cup of chopped red capsicum, half a cup of finely diced red onion, 2tbsp rice wine vinegar, some olive oil and 1 teaspoon each of grated fresh ginger and chopped jalapeño chillies. Throw in a small handful of chopped coriander leaves and add salt to taste. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours. When you’re nearly ready to eat, barbecue some prawns or fish brushed with olive oil (2 to 3 minutes per side). To serve, arrange four large lettuce leaves on four dinner plates, spoon the salsa onto the leaves and top with barbecued prawns. Squeeze over some fresh lime juice just before serving. Serves 4.